African Health Ministers renew Abuja pledge to raise health funding

Health Ministers attending the Africa Health Summit have renewed their commitment to the 2001 Abuja Declaration, pledging once again to allocate 15 percent of their national budgets to health. The overall goal is to achieve Universal Health Coverage—ensuring that everyone can access quality health services without suffering financial hardship. More than two decades since the…

Health Ministry orders nationwide community barazas to boost service delivery

The Ministry of Health has directed health facilities across the country to hold community barazas every six months. The directive applies to National and Regional Referral Hospitals, General Hospitals, and Health Centre IVs and IIIs. The initiative aims to build public confidence in health services, gather routine feedback from communities, inform the public about available…

Ministry of Health Launches Home Follow-Up Programme for Premature Babies

The Ministry of Health has launched a community follow-up programme deploying community health workers to trace babies born prematurely after hospital discharge. Speaking at the launch of a week of awareness events on prematurity on Monday, Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, said Uganda records over 220,000 premature births each year. While many…

Cabo Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles eliminate measles and rubella

Cabo Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles have eliminated measles and rubella, becoming the first sub-Saharan countries to attain this milestone. The three countries were verified by the African Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination, established by World Health Organization (WHO). Cabo Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles join 94 and 133 others globally verified as having…

When One Nation Helps Another Africa Stands Stronger

Zimbabwe’s timely medicine donation to Botswana shows how solidarity and shared responsibility can strengthen African health systems from within. A few days ago, Zimbabwe extended vital support to its western neighbour, Botswana, by donating antiretroviral medicines reports Medicines For Africa. It was a timely and compassionate gesture rooted in the African spirit of ubuntu —…

Generative AI Is Not a Scientist: Why Biopharma Needs AI with Scientific Agency

Andrew Wyatt, Chief Growth Officer at Sapio Sciences Generative AI can process information at incredible speed, but it cannot yet think like a scientist. In biopharma R&D, its real value lies in assisting scientists, automating routine tasks, interpreting data in context, and moving research faster. The next generation of AI-native lab notebooks goes further, turning…

AXA Global Healthcare Announces Strategic Collaboration With Old Mutal

AXA Global Healthcare has announced a strategic partnership with Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya and Executive Healthcare Solutions Limited (EHS) to expand access to international private medical insurance (IPMI) across Africa. Starting this month, AXA’s health insurance policies in Kenya will be underwritten locally by Old Mutual, combining AXA’s global healthcare expertise with Old Mutual’s…

Mulago Hospital Overwhelmed by ICU Referrals Amid Rising Trauma and Stroke Cases

Mulago National Referral Hospital says it is overwhelmed by the growing number of referrals for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services from both Kampala hospitals and upcountry facilities. Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, the hospital’s executive director, said their ICU remains full most of the time because of the high number of trauma and stroke cases they receive.…